Document Type : Research Article

Author

• Robabeh Motaqedi

Assistance professor of history,The National Library and Archives of Iran, Iran. Tehran

Abstract

This research deals with the representation of the role of women in the oil nationalization movement until the August 28 coup in the years 1329 to 1332 and tries to investigate the participation and efforts of women as part of the society during the oil nationalization movement. The main concern of the research is finding an answer to the question, "How did women react to the process of nationalization of oil? “The first hypothesis is that, as some sources have written, women were passive and behind the scenes, and did not take a role in the oil nationalization movement. But the second assumption is the opposite of the first assumption, and that is that women were actively present in this process; But historians and researchers have ignored and marginalized them for various reasons. The method used in this research is descriptive-analytical and the researcher proved the role of women in the oil nationalization movement by relying on archival documents. According to the findings of this research, despite Mosaddegh's government's lack of respect for their demand to have the right to vote, women stayed with the government and the parliament and worked side by side with men in school and university, in factories, in offices and on the street in the path of oil nationalization.

Keywords

• women
• nationalization of oil
• history from below
• social history
• archival documents

Main Subjects

• Social history

Extended abstract:

Silent activists and the field of politics:

Examining the role of women in the national oil movement

  This research deals with the representation of the role of women in the oil nationalization movement until the August 28 coup in the years 1329 to 1332 and tries to investigate the participation and efforts of women as part of the society during the oil nationalization movement. The main concern of the research is finding an answer to the question, "How did women react to the process of nationalization of oil?"

The first hypothesis is that, as some sources have written, women were passive and behind the scenes, and did not take a role in the oil nationalization movement. But the second assumption is the opposite of the first assumption, and that is that women were actively present in this process; But historians and researchers have ignored and marginalized them for various reasons.

In modern historiography, it is believed that the traces of women are not in political history, because political events were not their field of action, and if we are looking for women's history, perhaps it is better to search in cultural history and social history. Today, it can be claimed that if we are looking for the footprints of women and women's voices in the field of social history and cultural history, and even in the context of political history, we will find it in archival documents. He returned historical texts.

During the three years from the announcement of the oil nationalization law in March 1329 to the coup d'état on August 28, 1332, people had a serious role and presence in all interactions between the government, the parliament and the court, both in favor and in opposition.

The method used in this research is descriptive-analytical and the researcher proved the role of women in the oil nationalization movement by relying on archival documents. According to the findings of this research, despite Mossadegh's government's lack of respect for their demand to have the right to vote, women stayed with the government and the parliament and worked side by side with men in school and university, in factories, in offices and on the street in the path of oil nationalization. The topics discussed in this article based on archival documents include the following sub-headings:

Accompanying women in the oil nationalization movement

Subordinate women of Isfahan and the national oil movement

Women of Khuzestan and National Oil Movement

Women and supporting the Mossadegh government in the 30th uprising

The support of women's political organizations for the nationalization of oil

The efforts of female students in supporting the nationalization of oil

  The feature of this article is the use of archival documents, which have received little attention so far. In this article, an effort has been made to represent the role and image of women in the civil activities of the discussed three years from 1329 to 1332. Finally, the findings of the current research claim that women still as half of the people, although they saw a bad promise, but they did not hesitate to attend civil gatherings and support the oil nationalization policy. They were sympathetic and accompanied in demonstrations and strikes and performed their national and citizenship duties well. Each of the activist groups and parties and politicians of this period, who were not facing success, changed their ways with violence, isolation and opposition, but women as a group of political activists accompanied this crisis with persistence and fierce resistance and did not back down. Although women supported Mossadegh's national government, no positive changes occurred in their situation during these three years. Hijab became more widespread, women without hijab were persecuted with the support and incitement of right-wing religious elements. Polygamy, child marriage and unequal divorce laws continued as before. Meanwhile, the women's groups followed the same line as the all-male parties they were affiliated with.

  Although there are many more reasons and documents in the documents that clearly show the role of women in the nationalization of the oil industry and their participation in civil protests, what was said as a handful of rubbish can be a way forward. It is certain that the people acted very powerfully in the oil nationalization uprising, and women were also in the field as a part of these people, who have remained hidden from the eyes of history researchers.

Keywords: women؛ nationalization of oil؛ history from below؛ social history؛ archival documents